Mmebusɛm 2
1 Me ba, sɛ wutie me nsɛm, na woma me mmaransɛm tena wo mu a,
Oh, my son, that thou wouldst receive my words, And treasure up my precepts within thee;
2 sɛ wowɛn wʼaso ma nyansa na wode wo koma ma ntease,
That thou wouldst apply thine ear to wisdom, And incline thy heart to understanding!
3 na woma wo nne so frɛ nhumu na wusu frɛ ntease,
For if thou wilt call aloud to knowledge, And lift up thy voice to understanding, —
4 na sɛ wohwehwɛ no te sɛnea wohwehwɛ dwetɛ na wohwehwɛ no sɛnea worepɛ ademude a ahintaw a,
If thou wilt seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures,
5 ɛno na wobɛte Awurade suro ase na woahu Onyankopɔn ho nimdeɛ.
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God.
6 Awurade ma nimdeɛ, na nʼanom na nyansa ne ntease fi ba.
For the LORD giveth wisdom; From his mouth proceed knowledge and understanding:
7 Ɔkora nkonimdi ma wɔn a wɔteɛ, ɔyɛ kyɛm ma wɔn a wɔn akwan yɛ pɛ,
He layeth up safety for the righteous; He is a shield to them that walk uprightly:
8 ɔwɛn nea ɔyɛ pɛ kwan, na ɔbɔ wɔn a wodi no nokware no akwan ho ban.
He guardeth the paths of equity, And defendeth the way of his servants.
9 Ɛno na wobɛte nea eye ne nea ɛyɛ pɛ, ne nea ɛfata, ɔkwan biara a eye ase.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness and equity And uprightness, yea, every good path.
10 Afei nyansa bewura wo koma mu, na nimdeɛ ayɛ ahomeka ama wo kra.
When wisdom entereth into thy heart, And knowledge is pleasant to thy soul,
11 Adwene bɛbɔ wo ho ban na ntease ahwɛ wo so.
Discretion will guard thee, Understanding will preserve thee.
12 Nyansa beyi wo afi amumɔyɛfo akwan mu, ebeyi wo afi nnipa a wɔn nsɛm yɛ basabasa nsam,
It will deliver thee from the way of the wicked, From the men who speak perverse things;
13 wɔn a wɔaman afi akwan pa so akɔnantew sum akwan so no,
Who forsake the paths of uprightness, To walk in the ways of darkness;
14 wɔn a wɔn ani gye bɔneyɛ ho, na wodi ahurusi wɔ bɔne mu basabasayɛ ho,
Who rejoice in doing evil, And delight in the perverseness of the wicked;
15 wɔn a wɔn akwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye na wɔyɛ abonsam wɔ wɔn akwan mu.
Whose paths are crooked, And who are froward in their ways.
16 Nimdeɛ begye wo afi ɔbea waresɛefo no nsam, afi ɔbea warefo huhuni a ɔka nnaadaasɛm ho,
It will deliver thee from the wife of another, From the stranger, who useth smooth words;
17 nea wagyaa ne mmabaabere mu kunu na wapo apam a ɔyɛɛ wɔ Onyankopɔn anim no.
Who forsaketh the friend of her youth, And forgetteth the covenant of her God.
18 Ne fi yɛ ɔkwan a ɛkɔ owu mu na nʼakwan kɔ awufo honhom nkyɛn.
For her house sinketh down to Death, And her paths to the shades of the dead:
19 Obiara a ɔkɔ ne nkyɛn no nsan mma anaasɛ ɔrensi nkwa akwan so.
None that go to her return again; They will not attain the paths of life.
20 Enti wubedi nnipa pa anammɔn akyi na woanantew atreneefo akwan so.
Therefore walk thou in the way of good men, And keep the paths of the righteous:
21 Efisɛ wɔn a wɔteɛ bɛtena asase no so, na wɔn a asɛm nni wɔn ho no na wɔbɛka hɔ;
For the upright shall dwell in the land, And the righteous shall remain in it;
22 na wobetwa amumɔyɛfo afi asase no so, na wɔatɔre atorofo ase.
But the wicked shall be cut off from the land, And transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
